1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to airguns and/or similar devices powered by compressed gas and more particularly by an adaptor that facilitates the rapid refilling of the gas containing supply vessel without the necessity for removing the supply vessel from the airgun.
2. BACKGROUND ART
A search of the background art directed to the subject matter of the present invention conducted in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office disclosed the following U. S. Letters Patent:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,155 which issued on Mar. 19, 1991 to Denis R. Gallagher. This patent covered a connector to an external air source for a gas operated gun, which includes a cartridge piercing receiving assembly adapted to engage a pressurized air source and connected externally to a gas operated gun.
Also discovered was U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,905 which issued on May 19, 1992 to John E. Pruitt et al. This patent teaches a carbon dioxide fill manifold for storing liquid and gaseous carbon dioxide by including means for dispensing the gaseous carbon dioxide, which provides a degree of protection against loss of carbon dioxide during a refilling procedure.
A thorough review of the above-identified patents indicates that none teach, disclose or claim the novel combination of elements and function found in the improved airgun compressed gas refill adaptor.
The use of carbon dioxide gas as a propellant in air guns is a well known and accepted practice. Such carbon dioxide gas is generally stored in a liquid state. Most airguns perform best when the propellant is used exclusively in a gaseous state. The actual product delivered from high pressure carbon dioxide (CO2) storage vessels is a variable mixture of liquid and gaseous CO2. The presence of liquid CO2 within the storage vessel sometimes creates a problem. In the past the usual procedure for refilling the supply vessel or CO2 tank connected to an airgun has required removal of the supply vessel from the airgun.
As can be anticipated there are multiple problems associated with removal of the supply vessel. It may be readily anticipated that this action exposes the user to escaping high pressure gas with the resultant related safety hazards. Secondly, repeated removal and reinstallation of the supply vessels cause wear on both the mechanical attachment and on the gas seals incorporated therein. Finally, the requirement to remove the supply vessel from the airgun makes the operation needlessly time consuming.